5031 Manchester Road
Akron, Ohio 44319
330) 644-2220
1-866-644-6727 for camping reservations

The many waters of Portage Lakes State Park offer visitors a variety of outdoor recreational experiences. Boating, swimming and fishing are popular. The wetlands of the park attract waterfowl and shorebirds providing visitors enjoyment whether hunting or observing wildlife.

Park Map | Campground Map

Camping  

• 68 non-electric campsites and 6 electric campsites offer both sunny and shaded locations
• Vault latrines
• Dump station -- free for registered campers
• Pet camping is permitted on designated sites
• Basketball court
• Horseshoe pits
• Camp office loans games and sporting equipment to registered campers

Getaway Rentals  

• One tepee is available

Boating

• 400 Horsepower Limit, except for Nimisila Reservoir
• Electric motors only on Nimisila Reservoir
• 8 boat launch ramps provide access to the lake
• Boat rentals and fuel are available at private marinas around the area
• All areas are "no wake" except portions of Turkeyfoot Lake and East Reservoir
• Turkeyfoot Lake and East Reservoir permit wake activities according to the following schedule:

Monday -- Saturday
9:00 am -- 12:00 noon	Skiing
12:00 noon -- 5:00 pm	Speeding
5:00 pm -- 6:30 pm	Skiing
6:30 pm -- 8:00 pm	Speeding
Sunday and Holidays
9:00 am -- 10:00 am	Skiing
10:00 am -- 2:00 pm	Sailing
2:00 pm -- 5:00 pm	Speeding
5:00 pm -- 6:30 pm	Skiing
6:30 pm -- 8:00 pm	Speeding

Fishing

• Anglers will find good catches of largemouth bass, walleye, muskellunge, pickerel, pan fish, channel catfish, bullhead and carp
• A platform at North Reservoir provides wheelchair access for fishing
• A valid Ohio fishing license is required

Swimming

• Turkeyfoot Lake offers a 900 foot public swimming beach
• Parking, pay phone, and vault latrines are available
• Rex Lake has a swimming area for boaters
• Check for water quality advisories

Trails

• 4 trails for running or hiking
  • Planet Walk Trail - 1 Mile
  • Shoreline Trail - 5 Miles
  • Rabbit Hill Trail - 1 Mile
  • Pheasant Run Loop - 1 Mile

Picnicking  

• 7 picnic areas are scenically located around the park.
• 3 shelterhouses are available and may be reserved online or by calling (866)-644-6727

Hunting

• Hunting for waterfowl only is permitted in designated areas
• A valid Ohio hunting license is required

Winter Recreation (conditions permitting)

• Ice skating
• Ice boating
• Ice fishing
• Snowmobiling
• Cross country skiing
  • Planet Walk Trail - 1 Mile
  • Shoreline Trail - 5 Miles
  • Rabbit Hill Trail - 1 Mile
  • Pheasant Run Loop - 1 Mile

More To Do

• Volleyball courts are available at the beach and shelterhouse areas
• Horseshoe pits are located at the campground and day-use areas of the park
• Dog park offers a place for your pets to frolick without a leash

Area Attractions

• The Astronomy Club of Akron leases land within the park to operate a small observatory. Special programs are presented seasonally.
• Nearby Akron offers various sights. The Summit County Historical Society maintains the Perkins Mansion and the home of John Brown. Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, a Tudor showplace, is popular for tours of the 65-room manor house and gardens as well as for special events. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is located off Interstate-77 in Canton. The Goodyear World of Rubber, a museum depicting the rubber industry, offers guided tours throughout the year.
• Quail Hollow State Park and Cuyahoga Valley National Park are located in the vicinity. Quail Hollow State Park in Hartville offers a variety of programs. The National Recreation Area includes 32,000 acres where hiking, picnicking, canoeing and bicycling are popular activities. Two visitor centers are open daily.
• Several state nature preserves in the area offer glimpses of unique bog vegetation. Jackson Bog is open during daylight hours, while Triangle Lake and Kent Bog can be accessed by permit only.
• For more information of local attractions, visit the Ohio Division of Tourism or call 1-800-BUCKEYE.

Nature of the Area

Although early Ohio offered the Indians and settlers vast water resources through Lake Erie and its major river systems, there were very few natural lakes or ponds in the state. Those that existed, including several of the Portage Lakes, were the direct result of glacial activity. These bodies of water were formed by huge chunks of ice which broke off the retreating glacier and melted in depressions forming kettle lakes. Many of the natural lakes in Ohio have aged into bogs or marshes.

Unique plants associated with these boggy areas can be found in the park. Tamarack trees, more common in northern boreal forests, are scattered through the park with patches of skunk cabbage and cranberry also present. Nice stands of beech-maple forest provide refuge for skunk, raccoon, white-tailed deer and many other animals. The wetlands of the park attract thousands of geese and waterfowl during spring and fall migration periods. Mallards, wood ducks and Canada geese nest in the wetlands each year. In addition, woodcock, heron, hawks, owls, red fox, beaver and muskrat are often sighted.

History of the Area

Portage Lakes is named after the old Indian portage path which connected the Cuyahoga River flowing north to Lake Erie and the Tuscarawas River which through the Muskingum, flows south to the Ohio River. This proved advantageous for the Indians and early settlers as navigation from Lake Erie to the Ohio was possible with only one eight-mile portage overland. Portage Lakes State Park lies at one of the highest points of the state and on a major watershed divide in Ohio. Some water from the lakes reaches Lake Erie and some flows to the Ohio River.

The area became an important trading post for settlers and Indians. It was a recognized landmark during the War of 1812, serving as a rendezvous point of American troops. The old Indian portage path was part of the ancient boundary between the Six Nations and the Western Indians.

The city of Akron was laid out in 1825 and was first settled by Irish laborers and others working on the Ohio Canal. Once the canal was completed, the town flourished. Several important industries brought prosperity to the area including stoneware potteries, sewer pipe manufacturing, the match industry and, most recently, the tire and rubber industry. At one time, the Blue Diamond Match Company in Akron used three million board-feet of white pine lumber per year for the manufacture of its matches.

Several of the Portage Lakes were built as feeder reservoirs for the canals to maintain the required depth of four feet. The lakes were used for this purpose until the canals were abandoned in 1913. The lakes were then used to meet the water needs of the local industries. Some portions of the remnant canals in the Akron area can still be boated.

The Ohio Department of Public Works maintained the canal lands for recreational purposes until 1949 when the Portage Lakes were transferred to the newly formed Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation.